The Doge's Palace was built in the early 9th
century as a fortress. It was afterwards rebuilt in the 12th
century and modified again in the 14th and 15th century. Its
facade as we can see it today is a Gothic masterpiece in pink
and white marble. From its early days, the Doge's Palace served
as the seat of the government, the Palace of Justice, the prison
and the home of the doge. The doge was the elected ruler of the
Republic, but its role was rather that of a figurehead. Inside
the palace the halls are lavishly decorated with many of the
paintings representing the eternal glory of La Serenissima.
Many of the works are by Venice's most renowned artists like
Veronese and Tintoretto.
